Heart Check

WOW!!  It's been a while since I have wrote.  I probably have 5 unfinished unpublished posts.

So let me update everyone who may be interested:

As far as my training goes, it has been lacking.  The weather in Georgia dropped and I began to train in the cold.  I am pretty sure I didn't cover up as much as I should have because within the first week of running in 30 degree mornings I GOT SICK!!!!  Since then I have been doing light treadmill runs, afternoon runs (if hubby is home) but mostly just resting.  It's a throat, cough, congestion headache yuckiness and I am really frustrated because I feel like I am loosing the fitness that I have worked so hard to gain!!!!

 Of course, in this time of being still... God has a plan and it is GOOD!! Here comes the honesty and the heart check that I am so thankful for.  Running is a passion of mine as you all know.  I have BIG dreams, dreams that I feel I CAN accomplish.  I want to train, I want to get faster, I so want to accomplish these BIG dreams.  So much that my runs have become more of a time of stress rather than a release of it.  My mind then turns into worry mode and I start caving, feeling like the weight is too much and that I really cant do this. So He needed to make me STILL.  So that I could refocus, rethink things... listen to His voice!!!
I tear up writing this because He cares for me so much that He takes the time to stop me in my worry.  He even reminded me of His promises towards me on Sunday through a friend from church.  So now that I am feeling a bit better, I am ready to continue this journey with Him with a refreshed heart, mind and body.
I plan to run a Thanksgiving run in my area called the Gobble Jog.  I will be running the 10k.  The race is really close to my home (for now) so I can actually train on the course which is helpful.  This race will be purely a fun run... a race that I can truly run with my heart and be thankful for how far I have come.

 Races for 2013 (So far) 
Hot Chocolate 5k in January
Locomotive Half Marathon Feb 17
Country Music Marathon April 27

What excites me the most is that I will be training with a coach!!! I am so honored to have the opportunity to train with her. She has truly been an inspiration to me.  She is amazing. (I will be writing more about my new coach in a later post.) I will begin training for the marathon in December.

Did I mention I was going to be in Women's Running Magazine??? I hesitantly entered my running/weigh loss story a while back as they were searching for women to be in their weight loss edition.  I emailed the writer and thought nothing of it, but I figured it was worth a try.  My heart is to inspire other women with my story.  About a month ago, I was emailed back by the writer stating she wanted to feature me!!! I interviewed over the phone the next week!!! This experience was even more precious as I was able to include a very close friend of mine (a sister really) Cheryl to be my photographer!! It was a moment in both of our lives where we both felt a change.  We share a very close bond as we both suffered losing loved ones and helped, prayed and cried together.  So being able to have her a part of this experience of being in a magazine was just amazing!! Here are some pics of us: I have known Chery since I was 18 years old. 

This was taken in 2009 when we moved to GA

Hilton Head July 2011

We have been very close friends. She has been a support throughout this whole journey.  And as God would have it, living in the same area now. :) When taking the pictures, I felt at times very emotional, I have seen her grow and blossom into an amazing women. I am so excited to see what the Lord will do with her life.  She captured some very great pictures.  The writer was very impressed with her work.  I am so very blessed with her forever friendship.

 One event that just happened over the weekend (Sunday after church)  We are MOVING!!! We had been praying that God would open up a place for us to live in East Cobb where our church,  good friends, and good school districts are.  My husband prayed to God and told Him what we could afford out loud while we started driving around.  We passed right by our church and turned down a street we had only been down once when taking our girls to a friend of ours house to babysit for us.  I remember when we drove down that road how beautiful I thought it was, secluded with more of a country feeling.  I even in my mind thought it would be nice to run down  that area.  So when we turned down the same street again, I saw a For Rent sign and told my husband to turn so that we could find the house.  This was after we had seen about 4 houses in the area way above our price range and had already felt like this search was hopeless.  The house had a very large front yard.  I could see a white picket fence surrounding the backyard and screened in porch.  My husband called the number on the sign and asked about the house.  To his surprise, the price was what we had prayed for.  So we asked if we could look inside.  We we allowed and took our girls out of the car and into the house.  Immediately when we entered there was a big kitchen with an island in the middle.  A living area with a fireplace.  Upstairs 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (one in the master bedroom) THEN we opened a door which went downstairs to the basement and there were 2 extra rooms!! We went outside to the backyard and it was a very nice backyard.  We instantly fell in love with the house.   At that time, we did not have the funds to move in and now today (Wednesday) WE DO!! We will be moving into our new home within a month!!  I am so excited and in awe of God's provision and blessing.  Looking forward to running in a new area. :)

After we get settled in to our new home, we will be leaving to visit family in WA and TX.  So excited for this new chapter in our lives!!!

Here is a pic of us on Halloween, My girls were princesses and I was a marathon runner!! :)

Got my Brooks Nightlife gear on! LOL

So now that I have shared all that is going on in my life.  I am very happy and excited for this year to come.  I am moving into a new season in my life where seclusion, sadness and depression no longer exists.  I am thankful that God is faithful in all things.  I am thankful that He cares for me in all seasons and walks me through the storms and the sunshine. Last year, I was hopeless, the holidays always leave me depressed not to mention the anniversary of losing our twins is in Dec.  I am thankful that this year, God has physically taken me to new grounds with new dreams and passions. This year will be different and I am so excited to share with you all!!